At the sound of another person, Angelo cranes his neck to peek over his shoulder, catching sight of a familiar figure at the end of the pier. Holland, wasn’t it? They had been put together on a mission before everything kind of... exploded. It was good to see that the ranger was doing okay, even if they hadn’t gone beyond professional pleasantries – if you could even call it that – the last time. “Oh, hey, good to see you again.” He says, not at all disingenuous, although his voice comes out monotone and tired around the edges, weary eyes crinkling in a half-smile as the man unexpectedly decides to walk onto the wooden pier, too.

“You up late or starting early?” Turning his gaze back to the ocean, dyed a hint of orange with the rising sun, Angelo catches a look with his Gyarados who was resting within the water, his gleaming red eyes smouldering like hot coals where they peeked just above the surface. Angelo’s lips press into a fine line and instead look down at the bobber of his fishing rod, trying not to remember the frustration and anger from the war that simmers in the pit of his stomach like a fresh wound, Volans’s eyes feeling like a mirror piercing through.

There’s a tug on his line and he gives it a good pull upwards, reeling in the hefty weight and focusing on the distraction it provides. Volans swings a gentle aqua tail towards the Starmie in a bid to aid his trainer, sending a wave to slosh up Angelo’s jean leg that he hasn’t rolled up high enough.

“Nothing all night and then you show up. Got a stash of lure on you or something?” He asks with a small chuckle.

attempting capture of starmie.

“Something like that, got into town pretty late last night. Happens sometimes, no big deal.” Angelo raises an eyebrow in slight amused puzzlement at the disapproval in Holland’s tone. He knew the guy was a little bit serious around the edges but to be berated by him, someone he’d only met once, he wasn’t sure if it was cause for a laugh or a sigh of annoyance. If the world hadn’t been going to shit lately then perhaps it would be the latter. Instead, Angelo turns back to catching the Starmie, too tired in a multitude of ways to point out that Holland had been up all night, too.

Despite the anti-social air that he interprets from Holland, the other guy instead opts to come closer, rather than leave. Angelo doesn’t mind and as the ranger steps closer, he pulls his leg out of the water, standing up on the wooden pier with a groan, arms going above his head in a deep stretch. “Here,” he says, voice deepened from a yawn, as he pushes the old fishing rod into Holland’s hands, lazy smile pulling at the corners of his mouth. “I need to stretch my legs. Take over for a bit for me?” His last catch had been a fluke anyhow; fishing was more of a therapeutic pastime after all.

Hands tucking into his jacket pockets, he rocks on the balls of his feet and looks out towards the ocean dyed tangerine, before elevating onto his toes in a stretch. Maybe he’d walk up and down the length of the pier a few times…

“Would've thought you'd be stationed in Lilycove or Mauville... All things considered.” His voice turns a little more sombre; smile melancholic.

skip.

@holland

“Ah… Damn. Hopefully that’ll help with the strain, at least...” There was the simmering of anger, popping like bubbled of magma in the pit of his stomach, as Holland shared some information about the region’s situation. Angelo closed his eyes and nodded, expression solemn, until he turned his back and begun to do exactly what he had said he’d do; walking down the length of the pier to stretch his legs. His fingers dug into his palms, hands balled into fists, in his jacket pockets as he turned away.

So many people had been dragged into the mess, people that he had cared about dearly, yet he hadn’t been there to help… His desire to smack those invaders right back where they had come from still hadn’t faded. Almost as strong as his frustration with himself for feeling so useless. He hoped that everyone’s suffering, even those he didn’t know, was on the path to healing.

“Oh? Not much of a city dweller, then?” He’d walked back up the pier, although the stretch wasn’t too far, stifling a yawn as his stiff muscles began to warm up. “Though, I don’t blame you. I’d be out there in the field all the time if I didn’t have to drop into the marts.” Angelo releases a sigh, wishing he was out there in nature right now, next to a campfire and listening to the wind in the trees.

He steps forward with curious blues focused on the water, clapping a hand upon Holland’s shoulder in a brief moment of contact, gesturing at the Chinchou glowing under the surface fishing rod with his other hand in a point. “Hey, that one. Think you could pull that one up?”

catch attempt on chinchou.

@holland

He captures the Chinchou but doesn’t move to take the fishing rod back from Holland, instead opting to stand at his side, eyes dragging up to the last remaining darkness of the sky and watching the stars begin to fade like a snuffed candle. “Lucky…” He breathes, voice soft with honesty and the hints of envy, subtly frayed like the old sleeves of his jacket. Living out in nature, whether it be a cabin in the woods or a tent with a temperamental zip lock, would be Angelo’s choice over a skyrise hotel any day.

Holland’s words made him chuckle, hands retreating into his pockets as he dragged his gaze down to his bare toes, a smile on his lips. “People can be a pain in the ass. Most aren’t that bad, though.” Angelo was quite fond of people, he didn’t mind socialising but he could certainly understand the appeal of vacating to the woods and living in solitude; it would be far less complicated to not have to worry about anyone else…

“Oh man,” something catches his eye and Angelo, without thought, places a hand on Holland’s shoulder and points towards the water, his blue eyes suddenly filled with excitement and wistfulness. “See that? A Totodile.” He missed his Feraligatr back home but he was sure she wouldn’t appreciate him returning, some day in the future, with a replacement in tow. “They're great pokemon. You’ll regret it if you don’t catch one. Go on.”

skip.

@holland